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CNN Live At Daybreak

Four Suspects Charged in Pearl Case

Aired March 22, 2002 - 06:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Four suspects were charged today in the kidnapping and murder of "Wall Street Journal" reporter Daniel Pearl.

CNN Islamabad bureau chief Ash-Har Quraishi is covering the case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ASH-HAR QURAISHI, CNN ISLAMABAD BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, today, as you said, local charges (ph) in Karachi, suspected mastermind of the Daniel Pearl kidnapping and murder, and that Omar Saeed Sheikh was brought into a courtroom here where charges were filed against him.

Also in that charge sheet, a total of 11 accused, including Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. Now, of those 11, four are in custody at this point. Another seven are still on the loose that investigators are looking for.

Now, the charges filed today include kidnapping for ransom, murder and acts of terrorism. Now, what we understand at this point, though, is that investigators used evidence. The evidence that was presented today included the videocassette that depicted the murder of Daniel Pearl. Also some circumstantial evidence as well as a confession, a confession that was given by Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in which he said that he actually kidnapped Daniel Pearl; also saying in another statement that Daniel Pearl was dead.

Now, understanding whether that confession was not going to be admissible, but today prosecutors saying that it may be used as what's called an extrajudicial confession. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh also saying in court today that he would defend himself in the trial, which is set to begin one week from now. A list of 30 some witnesses also presented by the prosecution, including some FBI agents.

Right now, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh transferred to the Karachi central jail, and this trial expected to begin one week from today.

Ash-Har Quraishi, CNN, Karachi, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And of course, we'll continue to cover that.

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